17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”
I think all of us can relate when someone says they are having a bad day. We have all had bad days. How about having a bad year, when nothing seems to be coming together. Let’s go a little deeper, how about having a bad season with your kid, or a time when your spouse seems to be turning the knife in your back. Or probably the most condemning situation of all, the one that we are sure that we have caused and are paying for right now. Yep those times. That is when you seem to scurry about attempting to fix what you can and nothing seems to do the job, you are in a pickle, and simply at the end of your rope.
On Friday, we talked about the prodigal son telling the father to give him what belongs to him and he sets off on a grand adventure of self. Verse 17 states, “when he came to his senses”. Let us chat about this place. The place where we realize our adventure of self has run its course.
First, for Christ followers, we have to realize that if we are in this place, then it is the perfect place to redirect our focus. The son realized that his fathers servants are not dying of hunger and are cared for yet he sat feeding pigs. What an epic fall. He then told himself that he will set out to go back to his father.
Stop for a minute. Some of us need to hear that. Make your mind up that going back to the father, no matter what the situation you are in, is the right thing to do. Just like the son’s speech to his father is similar our selfish prayers to the Lord, then verse 19 should be the true beginning of our prayers. It reads, “I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.” All of us need to realize we need Christ and that we all have a sin debt to pay.
The son then got up and went to his father. We need to have action in our faith. Paul says that faith without works is dead so we had better put some action to our own faith. The gap between verse 19 and 20 is where most of us are. It is the gap of realization. The time we take thinking about our decision to have faith in the Lord while walking the long way back to where we should have been, at His feet.
For most of us, we need to be told to stand and keep standing for the faith you have in Christ. God told Moses to stand and see the salvation of the Lord at the shores of the Red Sea. Having done all to stand, stand firm. What you don’t often hear is that the Father is running after you while you are a long way off. Yes, He has been looking for you intently.
Today, come to your senses and choose to follow the Lord in all you do. What really belongs to us when everything belongs to the Lord’s anyway? When we are at our end and nothing seems to be moving for us, the Lord is telling us that there is provision and happiness when we run back to Him. He will provide for us but we must come back.
Prayer: Father help us realize in our lowest times that you are the author and perfector of our faith and that we only live and move and have our being in you Lord. Help us realize that we need to stay close to you, continually washing our brains with your Word so we can acquire wisdom and knowledge. Help us be able to recognize the schemes of the devil and stand against them at all times. In Jesus name, amen.
Let It Go 
Leave a comment